The Orioles have announced a large international amateur signing class today of 27 players headed by shortstop Luis Ayden Almeda, age 16, from the Dominican Republic. Almeyda’s signing bonus is $2.3 million, per MLB.com, the largest ever given an international amateur by the Orioles. He becomes the club’s first international signee with a bonus exceeding $2 million.

Last year’s top signee, outfielder Braylin Tavera, did have that distinction until today, signing for a $1.7 million bonus to head up the class announced last January.

Almeyda sets an O’s record and becomes the fourth player to sign for $1 million or more under the regime of executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias and senior director of international scouting Koby Perez. In the 2021 class, they signed catcher Samuel Basallo for $1.3 million and shortstop Maikol Hernandez for $1.2 million.

“I’m very excited and blessed,” Almeyda told MASNsports.com in his first one-on-one interview as an Oriole. “I am ecstatic to start out with this organization and develop as a ballplayer and a man as well.

“It really wasn’t a tough decision. I had my mindset on this team from the start since they started with me. I know that they have one of best farm systems in the minor leagues or maybe the best farm system in the minor leagues. You know, I’m just excited to get on this journey.”

The Orioles today announced that they have opened the 2022-23 International Signing Period with 27 contract agreements, tied for the most in club history (2019-20). Highlighting the Orioles’ 2022-23 international signing class are: shortstop LUIS ALMEYDA, the highest-paid international signee in club history, shortstop JOSHUA LIRANZO, infielder JOSÉ MEJÍA, shortstop FÉLIX AMPARO, right-handed pitcher KEELER MORFE, shortstop LUIS GUEVARA, and left-handed pitcher FRANCISCO MORAO. Additionally, six more of the group are six-figure agreements. Of the 27 total agreements, 14 are from the Dominican Republic, 11 are from Venezuela, and one each from Colombia and Cuba. The signing class includes nine pitchers, eight infielders, six catchers, and four outfielders. 

Almeyda, 16, was born and grew up in New Jersey before moving to the Dominican Republic. He is ranked as the No. 17 international prospect by Baseball America and No. 20 by MLB Pipeline. He is a solid, everyday type of player who can impact the game with his combination of power and hit tools. He is short to the ball with a quick and explosive swing, flashing plus power potential. At six feet, two inches tall, Almeyda has the ball skills to play shortstop, but could move to third base as he matures. He is a solid defender with plus arm strength.

Liranzo, 16, is a shortstop from the Dominican Republic who showcases immense power with a loose swing and plus-plus bat speed. His power and hit tools give him the makings to be an everyday player capable of plus offensive production. In the field, he shows loose defensive action with good footwork and a plus arm. 

Mejía, 17, a native of the Dominican Republic, profiles as an offensive second baseman. He is regarded as one of the best hitters in the 2022-23 class. A strong fastball hitter who can see spin, he projects to have a hit tool of 60 with a chance to develop 50 power. Defensively, he is solid in the infield and makes the routine plays. A natural leader with good instincts, Mejía also speaks English, which can make for an easier transition to playing in the United States.

Amparo, 16, is a shortstop from the Dominican Republic with a chance to be a plus hitter in the future. Standing five feet, 10 inches tall and weighing in at 145 pounds, he showcases surprising pop for his frame and is an excellent fastball hitter. On the dirt, he has good feet and soft hands with superb body control and a plus arm. A plus runner, his combination of offense and speed will see him stick at shortstop. 

A new international amateur signing period has arrived in Major League Baseball. Later today the Orioles are expected to announce their latest class of international signees. Their class, per reports, will be headed by Dominican shortstop Luis Ayden Almeyda.

A right-handed hitter, the 16-year-old Almeyda, according to Baseball America, will get a bonus of over $2 million. The Orioles have never had an international amateur sign for $2 million or more, and Almeyda’s bonus would easily beat the previous record, set this time last year.

Here are the seven-figure bonuses from the O’s in the last two classes:

$1.7M – OF Braylin Tavera, from Jan. 15, 2022.

$1.3M – C Samuel Basallo from Jan. 15, 2021.

The Orioles have made the following transactions:

• Agreed to terms with OF Austin Hays, SS Jorge Mateo, CF Cedric Mullins, OF Anthony Santander, and RHP Dillon Tate on one-year contracts for the 2023 season, avoiding arbitration.

In this recent post, Dan Szymborski, senior writer for FanGraphs.com and the developer of the ZiPS projection system discussed how his system saw Adley Rutschman’s 2023 season playing out.

Pretty well is the answer.

ZiPS projects Rutschman to produce an .823 OPS and 126 OPS+ in 2023, which would rank 26 percent above league average. It would be another strong season for Rutschman, and if his ZiPS projection of 4.7 Wins Above Replacement is accurate, per its current player projections, Rutschman’s WAR would rank 11^th best in the majors.

But Rutschman is not the only player that ZiPS or another projection system, Steamer, sees as having strong numbers in 2023. In looking at both ZiPS and Steamer, it seems ZiPS expects a bit more offense from other Orioles too.

For instance, ZiPS projections have four Orioles producing an OPS+ of 115 or more next season, with Rutschman at 126, Gunnar Henderson 123, Ryan Mountcastle 119 and Anthony Santander at 115. By comparison, the Yankees have just three players projected to exceed a 115 OPS+, with Aaron Judge at 164, Giancarlo Stanton 119 and Anthony Rizzo at 116.

The Orioles have made the following transactions:

• Agreed to terms with OF Austin Hays, SS Jorge Mateo, CF Cedric Mullins, OF Anthony Santander, and RHP Dillon Tate on one-year contracts for the 2023 season, avoiding arbitration.

The Orioles completed last month’s trade for backup catcher James McCann by sending minor league infielder/outfielder Luis De La Cruz to the Mets today as the player to be named later.

De La Cruz, 20, spent the past two seasons in the Dominican Summer League. He appeared in 33 games in 2022 and batted .291/.396/.349 with five doubles and 12 RBIs in 101 plate appearances.

De La Cruz was part of the July 2019 international signing class at age 16, the first under Mike Elias and Koby Perez.

McCann was acquired on Dec. 21, with the Mets picking up $19 million of the $24 million remaining on his contract over the next two seasons.

Adley Rutschman was the only catcher on the 40-man roster before McCann’s arrival.

The Orioles made the following roster move:

• Sent OF Luis De La Cruz to the New York Mets as the player to be named later to complete the C James McCann trade from December 21, 2022.

After a look at the current infield depth chart Tuesday, we move on to the Orioles outfield today, where they have five players on their 40-man roster and a few other candidates for opening day roster spots.

The starters as of this writing seem to be the same three that made most of the starts last year. Austin Hays, who made 82 starts in left field, Cedric Mullins back in center after 140 starts there in 2022 and Anthony Santander in right field where he started 79 times. Hays actually made 51 right field starts while Santander made 34 as the DH.

Hays made his third straight opening day roster, hit for the sixth cycle in club history in June and set career highs for games, extra-base hits and at-bats. His 35 doubles tied Adley Rutschman for the team lead. But his falloff at bat in the second half had some fans concerned. His OPS was .843 in April and .798 in May and he led the club in offensive WAR at that point. But his second-half OPS was .626.

Mullins had the difficult chore of trying to follow up his 30-30 season. While his stolen base total increased to 34 (second in the AL to Jorge Mateo), his homer total dropped to 16. His OPS dropped from .878 (OPS+ of 137) to .721 (OPS+ of .104). No doubt the Orioles are hopeful they get more offensive production out of both of these players in 2023.

Santander had a big year and ranked tied for fifth in the AL in homers. He batted .240/.318/.455/.773 with 33 homers and 89 RBIs. He produced career highs in games, at-bats, hits, home runs, extra-base hits, total bases, runs scored, RBIs, walks, hit-by-pitches, and OBP and tied a career high in doubles. He led the club in homers, extra-base hits, total bases, RBI, hit-by-pitches, and slugging. And Santander’s 33 homers as a switch-hitter were the most in MLB last year and the most by an O's switch-hitter since Eddie Murray hit 33 in 1983.

While waiting for an announcement that Carlos Correa’s deal with the Twins fell through and he’s signing with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys …

The return of the Birdland Caravan next month reconnects fans to the players, but also provides the media with easier access to them.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias hosted three sessions in his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt during last month’s Winter Meetings in San Diego. Brandon Hyde was available during the managers’ scrums, and a group of us also had breakfast with him one morning during the annual off-the-record gathering.

A large plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, and plenty of small talk.

The four-day caravan tour, making stops in Baltimore City, Bel Air, Bowie, College Park, Columbia, Frederick, Odenton, Salisbury, Towson, Westminster and York, Pa., brings Adley Rutschman back into a spotlight that he’d otherwise wish to avoid. As if a talent of this magnitude, with all its hype tagging along, has any choice.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• INF/OF Ryan O’Hearn has cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk.

If projection systems prove correct, by the end of the 2023 baseball season, Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman will have had another strong season. One strong enough to place him alongside the best players in the game.

Baltimorean Dan Szymborski, Senior writer for FanGraphs.com, contributor to ESPN, a data consultant and Baseball Writers' Association of America member, has run his ZiPS projection system since 2004. The computer projections use multi-year statistics, with more recent seasons weighted more heavily to attempt to tell us what stats the player might produce for the year ahead.

Szymborski’s system projects a final Wins Above Replacement number of 4.7 for Rutschman for the coming year. While that would actually be less than his 5.3 fWAR of 2022, it would place him among the top 10 or 12 players in baseball and Szymborski said he would rank behind Mike Trout and a few others and would be ahead of a talent such as Mookie Betts.

ZiPS sees Rutschman batting .262/.363/.460 this year with an .823 OPS, producing an OPS+ of 126, which is 26 percent above league average. He would hit 39 doubles with one triple, 18 homers and 63 RBIs.

Szymborski said his system projects a one in 10 chance that Rutschman could max out by batting .308/.417/.568, which would produce a .985 OPS for a 166 OPS+. Those numbers, if reached, would lead to 7.4 WAR. There have been just 24 catcher seasons of 7.0 WAR or better – one by former O’s backstop Chris Hoiles. That projection has Rutschman hitting 26 home runs and close to 50 doubles.

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired left-handed pitcher DARWINZON HERNANDEZ from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations.

Hernandez, 26, went 0-1 with a 21.60 ERA (16 ER/6.2 IP), 14 hits, 17 total runs, four home runs, two hit batters, eight walks, and nine strikeouts in seven games with the Red Sox last season. He also appeared in 23 games (seven starts) for Triple-A Worcester in 2022. The left-hander is 3-4 with a 5.06 ERA (48 ER/85.1 IP) in 91 career MLB games (one start), all with Boston since 2019, including a 3.17 mark (17 ER/48.1 IP) in 55 combined games from 2020-21. A native of Venezuela, he was originally signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2013.

Additionally, infielder LEWIN DÍAZ has been designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

Lewin Díaz is on the move again, with the Orioles again removing a left-handed hitting first baseman from their 40-man roster but also increasing their bullpen depth with the corresponding move.

Left-handed reliever Darwinzon Hernandez was acquired from the Red Sox this afternoon for cash considerations. Díaz was designated for assignment again – his fifth time since the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Hernandez, 26, appeared in 91 games with the Red Sox over parts of four seasons and compiled a 5.06 ERA and 1.734 WHIP in 85 1/3 innings. He’s walked 73 batters but also struck out 133.

The 2021 season was encouraging for Hernandez despite an oblique strain that cost him more than a month, with the Venezuelan native posting a 3.38 ERA in 48 games, but he pitched in only seven last year and allowed 16 earned runs (17 total) with eight walks in 6 2/3 innings. He had a 5.73 ERA  and 1.485 WHIP in 23 games at Triple-A Worcester.

Hernandez was the Red Sox’s No. 4 prospect in 2019 and made his major league debut in May. He was optioned to begin the 2022 season, underwent knee surgery and didn’t rejoin Boston until July. His last appearance was Aug. 10, and the Red Sox designated him for assignment on Friday after signing free-agent infielder Justin Turner.

The Orioles today announced their 2023 promotional schedule highlighted by ADLEY RUTSCHMAN, RYAN MOUNTCASTLE, and FÉLIX BAUTISTA Bobbleheads, multiple t-shirt nights, an Orioles Floppy Hat presented by Miller Lite, Birdland Hawaiian Shirt, and an Orioles Purple Pride Jersey, presented by Royal Farms. The 2023 promotional schedule also features increased numbers of giveaway items, giving more fans the opportunity to receive promotional items at the gates prior to the game.

Baltimore will celebrate its youngest fans at Kids Opening Day, presented by Weis Markets, on Sunday, April 9. As part of the celebration, fans will take home an Oriole Bird Nickelodeon Bobblehead, presented by Weis Markets. 

Orioles Legend and Hall of Famer EDDIE MURRAY will be honored as part of the 40^th anniversary of the 1983 World Series on Saturday, August 5, when fans will receive an Eddie Murray Bobblehead, presented by Royal Farms.

Fans will also receive an Adley Rutschman Bobblehead Inspired By Captain America as part of the first-ever Marvel Super Hero^TM Night on Saturday, June 10.

Returning this year are popular fan favorites, including the Orioles Floppy Hat, presented by Miller Lite, on Friday, June 30, Birdland Hawaiian Shirt on Saturday, July 1, and Orioles Soccer Jersey, presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar, on Saturday, July 15.

If we were to take a shot at the Orioles depth chart in the infield right now in a look ahead at opening day 2023, the four starters would likely include a newcomer to the team and a rookie with just 18 starts at the position where he may well be on opening day.

It might also include Ramón Urías, the 2022 American League Gold Glove winner at third base, not starting there when a new season begins. During the offseason, Urías became the O’s first Gold Glove winner at any position since Manny Machado in 2015. He joins Brooks Robinson and Machado as one of only three to win a Gold Glove at third for the Orioles.

But and this should not be a real surprise, my starters as of today on the Baltimore infield are Ryan Mountcastle at first base, Adam Frazier at second, Jorge Mateo at short and Gunnar Henderson at third base. It could be that Urías and Frazier platoon at second base or that Urías plays all over the infield. For his O’s career he has made 94 starts at third base, 48 at second and 44 at shortstop.

Frazier I will guess was not signed to sit much, so for now I see him as the second base starter. This despite the fact his 2022 offensive numbers are behind Urías. Frazier produced a .612 OPS last year, which was 20 percent below league average. Urías was three percent above the league at .720. On paper, based on last year, Urías was the better player.

But Frazier was a 2021 All-Star when his OPS was .779 with a .305 batting average between Pittsburgh and San Diego.

The Orioles are bringing back their Birdland Caravan, a four-day winter tour that runs from Feb. 2-5 at multiple locations throughout the region, with some notable participants including executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias, manager Brandon Hyde, catcher Adley Rutschman and pitcher Grayson Rodriguez.

Included is autograph sessions and happy hours at three locations with current players, top prospects, members of the front office, broadcasters and the Oriole Bird.

The caravan will make stops at Bowlero College Park and Topgolf Baltimore, providing fans with an opportunity to interact with players and staff while they bowl and tee off. There’s also a community service project with the Maryland Food Bank, which is closed to the public, and fan rallies at Bel Air High School, Wilde Lake High School and Winters Mill High School.

The following stops are confirmed: Baltimore City, Bel Air, Bowie, College Park, Columbia, Frederick, Odenton, Salisbury, Towson, Westminster and York, Pa.

Fans in Elkridge and Owings Mills can take photos with the Oriole Bird.

The Orioles today announced the return of the club’s ‘Birdland Caravan,’ a four-day winter tour, that will take place from Thursday, February 2, through Sunday, February 5, at multiple locations throughout the region. The first such weekend-long celebration since prior to the COVID-19 pandemic will include autograph sessions and happy hours with current Orioles players, top prospects, broadcasters, members of the front office, and the Oriole Bird. 

New in 2023, the caravan will make stops at Bowlero College Park and Topgolf Baltimore to give fans a unique and fun opportunity to interact with Orioles players and staff as they bowl and tee off with fans. The tour will also feature a community service project with the Maryland Food Bank, closed to the public, as well as fan rallies at Bel Air High School, Wilde Lake High School, and Winters Mill High School that are open to fans of all ages. Designed to take the Oriole Park experience directly to the fans, the Birdland Caravan will make stops throughout Maryland in Baltimore City, Bel Air, Bowie, College Park, Columbia, Frederick, Odenton, Salisbury, Towson, and Westminster, as well as York, Pa. Fans in Elkridge and Owings Mills will also have the opportunity to meet and take photos with the Oriole Bird.

“We are excited to reintroduce the Birdland Caravan to our fans throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and engage with them beyond the ballpark,” said JENNIFER GRONDAHL, Orioles Senior Vice President, Community Development and Communications. “The weekend’s events will feature unique opportunities to interact with players, prospects, and staff, in a larger geographical circle than ever before. We’re eager to get back out into our communities and celebrate the exciting present and future of Orioles Baseball.” 

Current Orioles participating in select events include BRYAN BAKER, FÉLIX BAUTISTA, DL HALL, AUSTIN HAYS, GUNNAR HENDERSON, JOEY KREHBIEL, DEAN KREMER, RYAN McKENNA, JOHN MEANS, RYAN MOUNTCASTLE, ADLEY RUTSCHMAN, KYLE STOWERS, RAMÓN URÍAS, TERRIN VAVRA, and NICK VESPI, along with Orioles prospects HESTON KJERSTAD and GRAYSON RODRIGUEZ. Additionally, Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager MIKE ELIAS, Vice President and Assistant General Manager, Analytics SIG MEJDAL, Assistant General Manager, Baseball Operations EVE ROSENBAUM, and Manager BRANDON HYDE, a BBWAA American League Manager of the Year finalist, Baseball America Manager of the Year, and the Sporting News AL Manager of the Year, will attend select events throughout the weekend. 

Tickets are required for autograph signings, Bowlero, and Topgolf events. Fans must purchase tickets in advance as availability will be limited. Tickets will go on sale online this Wednesday, January 11 at 10:00 a.m. ET, at Orioles.com/Caravan.

With all the recent talk about backups at first base and a lefty hitter that can play there to complement Ryan Mountcastle in 2023, I went back and took another look at Mountcastle’s 2022 season. We know it was not as productive as his 2021 when he hit an Orioles rookie record 33 homers. That number dropped to 22 last year.

And it cannot all be about wall ball and the moving back of the left-field fence. With mostly shorter dimensions than Camden Yards in left in road games, Mountcastle hit 11 road game homers and 11 at home last season. He hit one homer every 25.2 at-bats at home and one every 25.3 on the road. The dimensions and different ballparks didn’t make much difference here.

But if Mountcastle’s actual stats could have mimicked his expected stats, he might have been one of the better hitters in the league. No exaggeration here.

His final actual slugging percentage for the year was .423, which ranked 38^th in the American League among qualified hitters. But his expected slugging percentage of .509 would have tied AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez of Seattle for seventh-best in the actual final AL slugging leaders. That slugging percentage would have moved him ahead of the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kyle Tucker, Anthony Rizzo, George Springer and Carlos Correa.

MLB.com defines expected slugging as a stat that is formulated using exit velocity, launch angle and, on certain types of batted balls, sprint speed. In the same way that each batted ball is assigned an expected batting average, every batted ball is given a single, double, triple and home run probability based on the results of comparable batted balls since Statcast was implemented Major League wide in 2015. For the majority of batted balls, this is achieved using only exit velocity and launch angle.

Today I am asking a few more questions of O's fans. But with a different spin on this edition. This one is where the readers can fill us in on their personal stories.

With today's questions, rather than seek your input on the Orioles and their future outlook, I want to know about your past with baseball. I want to ask each reader and commenter about their past with this great sport.

On to today's questions:

1) How did you first get interested in baseball?

2) When did you first become an Orioles fan? Any memories from your early fandom days?